[tom8517]

I can't really disagree with much in your post.

There are differences from the distrust of the police in inner cities in the UK, or the US though. The police force is question was not the PSNI, but the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Before the troubles, the average Nationalist had no interaction with the British Army, but they knew very well what to expect from the RUC. They may have functioned as a normal police force in the unionist areas, but in the nationalist areas they were a heavily armed para military force who were brought into existence after partition to control the nationalist minority. There was not even a pretense of even handed law enforcement. Their auxiliary force, the "B-Specials, were even worse. The government basically emptied the local Orange lodges, armed them to the teeth, and turned them loose. Small wonder then the IRA became the de facto police force for the nationalist population. You are probably correct that most people wished that did not have the IRA or the RUC, but given the reality of the situation, most did choose the IRA

And I will also concede that the silence of many concerning the activities of the IRA stemmed from fear of retribution, mostly it was the deeply rooted loathing of the informer in the Irish psyche. While the average person may been ambivalent at best to the IRA, you didn't give up one of your own to the Sassenach.